Elsinore Canyon by J. M.

satisfy my curiosity.”
    Polly switched the binder full of e-mails to one hand and slipped his phone out of his pocket. “Excuse me, I’ve got to answer this. Eh.” He thumbed in a reminder: drug test.
    “Writing my epitaph?”
    “No,” he laughed awkwardly as he slipped his phone back in. “You know, perhaps you should get out for a breath of sea air.”
    “Or a breath of sea water. Like my mother.”
    “I, ehm, I’m going to take off.”
    “There’s nothing I’d rather you took.”
    Polly bobbled by way of farewell, and disappeared.
    “Except my so-called life,” Dana said, loud enough for him to hear.
    No answer.
    “Doofus,” she muttered.
    Alone in the quiet, high-ceilinged solarium, she stepped to a mirror to see what she looked like angry. White and toothy. Doofus McBubbles Pokey Polonius, not worth one atom of her peace of mind and yet he somehow had the power to totally piss her off. Why did he have to be Phil’s father? She couldn’t wait for sweet, wonderful Phil to turn eighteen so he could be free of that stupid tyrant lardball. There were other things that would take time. Phil also had no mother now, plus he was only sixteen and still under the impression that a parent’s approval was a necessary thing. Dana had been there a year ago herself; Phil would catch up. She looked at herself again. Still white, less toothy. She was trying to imagine loving such a heinous father as Polly, or lord in holy everlasting heaven forfend, having that whale toad dancing hippo Jabba the Hut for a husband, when some stilted figures faded in, reflected, over her shoulder. She turned to see the human originals, and her face sparkled with glee. Two cool, penetrating smiles were aimed at her. “Whoa. Ladies!”

Hostessly Duties
    The three girls sauntered forward with curious smiles.
    “You two!” said Dana. “Jeez, where have you been? I mean how have you been?”
    “Hey, girlfriend.” “We were thinking about you.”
    “Nice to see you. I can use some company.”
    “We figured.”
    “Except I look like a used tampon. Thanks for the advance notice.”
    A tight, canny laugh. “We missed you the last time we were here.”
    “The wedding reception from hell?”
    “That was quite a day.” “Have things gotten any better?”
    “Judge me by my acts.”
    “So then, things are totally shitty.”
    “You don’t have to rub it in. Never mind me, it’s too depressing. What about you guys?”
    “Been better,” Gale shrugged. “When you’re having it all, you’re up for a fall.”
    “What’s happened? You’re not flat on the ground, are you?”
    “Just getting to my feet, actually.”
    “So you’re right around God’s crotch.”
    Gale cracked a bitter smile. “You’ve always got to blow someone.”
    “I have dedicated myself to denying that necessity for some time now,” said Dana. “As you may have heard. So, is there a plan?”
    “No, we were just in the neighborhood.”
    “Thought you’d drop in and do a little hard time?”
    Two still, fixed faces.
    “Like in a prison,” Dana explained.
    “You’ll be out of here soon enough.”
    “Will I? I’ve stopped thinking about the future.” Dana wandered to a towering window and curled up on the ledge, her cloak trailing down. She looked like an aloof, exotic cat. “The problem is, everyone here is either living a nightmare or having one. Be warned.”
    Rosie wandered over to her. “What are you dreaming? Maybe it’s Freudian.”
    “What if it’s not? That’s what I’m afraid of. I mean, what if there literally are demons that come up from hell and tell you to do unspeakable things, and what if I’m literally falling off a cliff and drowning in those waves out there?”
    Rosie and Gale followed Dana’s gaze apprehensively. There was an ocean out there all right, which definitely contained waves, where a person could definitely drown.
    Dana chuckled softly. “This is frazzling me.” She slid off her spot on the ledge. “Did